BPO News and Insight: News Roundup
IN LATE FEBRUARY Experian, an information-solutions company, announced its additional list fulfillment capabilities for B2B marketers looking to conduct more profitable marketing campaigns. The resource enables businesses to quickly build and purchase customized lists of current customers and prospects most likely to purchase their product or service.
AUTO DATA Network and Experian recently unveiled their plans to share all vehicle data from and connectivity with Experian's 3,500-member U.K. dealer network. The three-year partnership enables Auto Data, a provider of software and real-time data services to the automotive industry, to leverage Experian's database of more than 80 million vehicle records worldwide. These records contain vehicle history and specification verification services, including vehicle and insurance claims, vehicle mileage check, and trading standard compliance. To do this Auto Data Network will use its Orbit data and other functionalities offered to dealers. Auto Data Network's Orbit is a database that consolidates information from many industry sources to deliver business intelligence to paying subscribers.
infoUSA AND ITS division BusinessCreditUSA announced that they are offering customers unlimited access to business credit reports, for a flat fee of $50 per month, per person. BusinessCreditUSA provides its clients the opportunity to do sales prospecting, skip tracing, and due diligence on potential customers. Clients can learn the business credit score of a company, the number of years the company has been in business, estimated sales volume, number of employees, and names of key executives. The record also provides the customer with a list of competitors in the area. "Many of our current customers use BusinessCreditUSA for prospect identification and qualification, as well as business references. This will allow them easy access for a flat monthly fee," said Vin Gupta, CEO of infoUSA.
A RECENT IDC REPORT, "Vertical Views of BPO Demand: A Study of Five U.S. Industries," reveals the current and expected buying behavior and preferences for BPO services among 105 U.S. corporate managers and executives. The five verticals measured are financial services, manufacturing, utilities/energy, retail/ wholesale, and healthcare. The numbers vary greatly across the verticals. For example, 61.5 percent of manufacturers indicated they have no plans to use BPO services, compared to 15 percent of retailers. Additionally, 55 percent of retailers indicated that their company currently makes use of BPO services at some level. The report suggests that business process outsourcers will likely see the biggest investment from financial services companies over the next 12 months.